Customer Reviews

Fifty Places to Play Golf Before You Die: Golf Experts Share the World's Greatest Destinations

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This really is an attractive volume, and it constitutes a sort of fantasy list of unique golf courses. The author has gone out of his way to avoid many of the "obvious" big name courses that golfers know from televised tournaments. This gives the book an added interest factor, as one can read about exotic courses in such out-of-the-way locales as Morocco and Oregon.

Full Disclosure: I know Chris. He is a genial companion and a talented, assured writer.

Notice that the title is not "The Fifty Greatest Golf Courses." My title would be, "Fifty Interesting Places to Play Golf." Whether it's my title or the real title, the emphasis is on "places to play," or "destinations," not golf courses per se. More than fifty golf courses are covered. Which is not to say that the book does not include a lot of great golf courses. The format is mini-coffee table, with several pages of text for each destination and one small picture for most of the destinations. The quality of the printing, photo reproduction and binding in my copy is excellent. The text for each destination has been volunteered by a different prominent golf person. For example, Nick Faldo writes about the Royal Melborne Golf Club (West Course) in the Australian state of Victoria. Alice Dye about the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course (see a connection there?). On the plus side are the quality of the color photos and the introduction (to me) of golf courses in some far away places (e.g., Bhutan, Morocco, India, places, however, I'll never get to). On the minus side, I don't have a prayer of playing some of the U.S. courses, even after I die (e.g., Pine Valley, Sand Hills, National Golf Links of America), which, honestly, the author points out. Finally, why not at least one photo for each destination? From the two page description of the Pacific Grove muni: "[T]he back nine . . . takes you right out to the water and combines incredible views of the Pacific and Monterey Bay with windswept bluffs reminiscent of some of the great courses of Scotland and Ireland." Why no photo of this course? From the two page description of the Torekov Golf Club in Sweden (my ancestral home): ". . .a links-oriented course. . . You can view the sea from all eighteen holes. In the summer, wildflowers are blooming everywhere . . . ." I want a photo, darn it!

Being a golfer, I got this as a gift from one of my relatives. I must say the pictures are outstanding. This book makes me want to travel more to other countries to experience the pleasure of these courses. This book will always have a permanent place in my library. For excellent golf instruction that helped me to drastically reduce my handicap, I recommend,
The Ultimate Golf Instruction Guide: Key Techniques for Becoming a Zero Handicap Golfer or Better, isbn 1933023090

and

for more great pictures of specific golf holes, I recommend,
Golf Digest 365 Golf Holes Calender 2006, isbn 0761137343.
This maintains a permanent place on my office desk.

Bought it for my Dad, an avid golfer and traveler. He loves it.

I bought this as a gift, and am very disappointed in how small it is. Yes, I could have -- and now realize I should have -- checked the dimensions, but I didn't.

The photos are nice, but like others have said, there are not enough of them and the bottom line is that it is just not display or coffee table worthy.

I gave this as a gift to a well heeled friend who lives out of state. Though he has already played several of the courses he was very excited about the list and he said that the pictures and overall quality of the book were excellent.

Top Notch Golf and World Travel...what more could a serious golfer want?
This book is a fabulous find and an inspired gift you will be proud to share with a golfer you love. Even as a non golfer, I enjoyed the travels insights and the background on how each course was created. It provided me a whole new appreciation for the game and the "art" of golf course creation.

Part coffee table book, part guidebook, this well-produced volume features fifty recommendations of some of the greatest courses in the world. Author Chris Santella asked esteemed golf industry professionals around the world to recommend their favorite course. Those interviewed by the author include such golf luminaries as Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Pete Dye, Peter Jacobsen, Nick Faldo, and Dave Pelz. The content of each course description is approached like a magazine article, with quotes from each interview interwoven with well-written descriptions of the course and a few special holes. The accompanying photos are excellent, and the "If You Go" section at the end of each course provide some basic directions on how to get to the course, where to stay, and how to book your round. A very-nice book.

-Bryan Fryklund, author of The Golf Fanatic's Guide to Hawaii

A lovely book. Not exceptional, but enjoyable. It was disappointing in two ways:
1. some of the authors (each chapter talks about a specific course or courses) of the chapters were the course designer of that specific course - clearly, a conflict of interest!
2. would have loved to have more courses that are out-of-the-way and/or extremely private - courses that we can only dream about playing!

How on God's green earth to you justify titling a book 50 PLACES TO PLAY GOLF BEFORE YOU DIE, and then proceed to list one private course after another that no ordinary mortal will ever be able to set foot on. They should call it 50 OF THE BEST COURSES YOU WILL NEVER PLAY. Skip it.